Local Reviews: Gerschweyn Matthews

Gerschweyn Matthews
Die Probleem met Picasso
Self-Released
Street: 12.02.09
Gerschweyn Matthews = Bjork x Tori Amos + Placebo
With titles like “Strategies of Redistribution Regarding Devil Worship in the New World,” it is clear that this six-track album is going to be unusual, maybe even pretentious. The androgynously voiced, South African artist croons and occasionally rants through a series of tracks, taking on Scientology’s stance against psychology in the controversial-all-over-the-internet “Letter to Tom Cruise” and child-abusing clergy in “Conversation with a Dodgy Priest.” The piano work here is gorgeous, and the song-writing is excellent: gloomy, angry and fierce. There is apparently a film project associated with the album as well, the stills from which appear fascinating and bizarre.